(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan Paz [1] ['Chitown Kev', 'Thom Hartmann', 'Belinda Ridgewood', 'Bill In Portland Maine'] Date: 2026-06-02 Disclosure: I am the Field Director for Jonathan Paz’s campaign for Congress. It is not often that a member of Democratic leadership faces a serious primary challenge from the left. That’s exactly what’s happening in Massachusetts’ 5th Congressional District, where former Waltham City Councilor Jonathan Paz is running against House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. On paper, this race looks lopsided. Clark is a longtime incumbent with national name recognition and a substantial fundraising advantage. But Paz’s campaign is asking a question that Democrats across the country are increasingly asking: Who is our party fighting for? Paz comes from a working-class immigrant family. When he was young, he watched his father detained and deported. That experience shaped his politics and eventually led him into community organizing, labor activism, and local elected office. As a city councilor, he focused on tenant advocacy, public housing improvements, and local economic issues. Beyond elected office, he has been active in labor campaigns and immigrant justice organizing. His congressional campaign is built around an argument that should be familiar to many Daily Kos readers: Democrats cannot simply be the party that is less harmful than Republicans. We must be the party that materially improves people’s lives. That means fighting for Medicare for All instead of protecting a healthcare system that leaves millions underinsured. It means treating housing as a human necessity rather than a speculative asset. It means standing with workers on picket lines. It means pursuing immigration policies rooted in human dignity rather than fear. Many voters in MA-5 are frustrated by a political system where even Democratic leadership often appears disconnected from the economic struggles of ordinary people. Rent continues to rise. Healthcare remains unaffordable for too many families. Young people increasingly believe they will be worse off than their parents. Whether one agrees with every position Paz takes, his campaign reflects a growing sentiment within the Democratic base: people want representatives who are willing to challenge entrenched interests and fight unapologetically for working-class communities. At a time when Democrats are debating the future of the party, the MA-5 primary is about more than one congressional seat. It is about whether our party will continue to rely on consultant-driven politics and large donors, or whether it will recommit itself to grassroots organizing and economic justice. For progressives who believe the Democratic Party needs to reconnect with working people, this is a race worth watching. For those interested in learning more, volunteering, or contributing, please visit the campaign website and join our effort to build a Democratic Party that fights for ordinary people. www.pazforthepeople.com [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/6/2/800049126/community/jonathan-paz/ Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/